Current title holders Johnny Heineken and sister Erika continued their domination of the kiteboard racing world championships on day three of the event being staged in China for the first time.

But as competition intensified at the International Kiteboard Association (IKA) championships, the siblings showed they were human after all with a few blips in otherwise flawless performances in a series of races in perfect 20kts winds and flat water.

Johnny Heineken (USA) withdrew from the first race of the day after tangling with Riccardo Leccese (ITA), while Erika Heineken (USA) was passed by Steph Bridge (GBR) in several races, only to snatch back victory by the finish line.

Yet the slight stumbles had little effect on the leader board with the pair retaining top spots in the five-day competition in Boao, Hainan, which is being organized and locally managed by Kite Tour Asia (KTA) and the resort of King Bay, the main sponsor.

With Johnny Heineken competing among the top riders - after the 120-stong fleet was graded into gold, silver and bronze medal groups after the first two days - the racing was hotly contested.

Florian Gruber (GER), who had been joint-leader with Heineken at the start of day three, grabbed a first after the American's retirement and continued to snap at his heels in each of the following three races, snatching two seconds and a third place. He ended the day second in the overall standings.

Bryan Lake (USA) also enjoyed a strong showing with high placed finishes in the mixed conditions that alternated between squalls and sunshine, which prompted most of the men put up 9m and 10m kites to blast over the waters of King Bay.

But Olly Bridge's (GBR) stellar racing in the gold fleet was among the more surprising performances. The 16-year-old European course racing champion notched up several fourth place finishes among the fastest men in the world, and stands in fourth place overall.

"I qualified for the gold fleet in eleventh position, so I was pretty pleased," said Bridge. "Today has been fully-powered, 9m weather. If the wind drops a little I might be able to reel in the leaders a bit. I'm strongest when it's lighter."

Bridge's mother Steph again fought hard with Erika Heineken, but came off second best in each of the four women's races. In the day's third race Heineken, usually faultless, fell on the downwind leg to allow Bridge to pass at the mark. But she regained her position on the second lap to win.

In the final race Bridge was leading at the end of the first lap and even held on at the last rounding of the weather mark, but Heineken's superior downwind speed told and Bridge was overhauled to give the American her eleventh straight win of the series.

Another sixteen-year-old, Elena Kalinina (RUS) held her position with a series of third place finishes hard on the heels of the two older and more experienced women.

"The wind is really strong for me," said Kalinina. "In such conditions I'm not really good because I don't train in this weather. Erika Heineken is very fast, perhaps unbeatable in this wind. But at least I can learn something from the girls that are ahead of me."

Nuria Goma (ESP) is also having her own battles, but was disappointed with her finishes which are slightly off the pace as she is just returning from an ankle injury that hampered her training.

"I'm not going so well," she said. "I broke my ankle ligaments so I was expecting to drop down. At the same time, all the girls have improved a lot and got much faster. The level of girls racing is so much better."
Men's Results

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Nicolai Sehested (DEN) and his TREFOR Match Racing Team clinched victory today at the Energa Sopot Match Race, Poland, the 10th stage and World Championship Event of the 2015 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

There was no stopping current, and five-time ISAF Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams (GBR), GAC Pindar today at the Energa Sopot Match Race as he swiftly dispatched his Quarter Final opponent Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) in three straight wins.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) continues to address concerns and is taking steps to ensure the health and safety of all athletes who will be competing in the upcoming Aquece Rio, Olympic Test Event and the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Veteran Polish match racer and America's Cup helmsman Karol Jablonski skilfully played the gusty conditions today to lead the twelve strong field of teams at the end of Day 2 of Qualifying at the 2015 Energa Sopot Match Race.